Selection for the British and Irish Lions is "the pinnacle of your career", according to Rob Howley, who on Wednesday was confirmed as Warren Gatland's backs coach for next summer's series in New Zealand, where the world's most-famous rugby-playing tourists have won only one previous campaign.

There is getting it wrong and there is getting it very wrong, and yes, safe to say, my fears and predictions for the last Lions Test were firmly in the latter. It is scant relief to know that I was far from alone, and not an excuse either, but it is a lesson in passing judgements without talking to any of the guys on the ground.

Why is the O'Driscoll selection of such significance? Because when you walk out to play a 'must win' game, which this third Test certainly is, you need to have a certain number of hardened, experienced winners in that lineup. The Lions have lost Warburton, O'Connell, and Jenkins already, and O'Driscoll was one of the key 'old heads' left to include.

So the first Test is looming, and with it the onset of serious judgement for both coaches. Who would have guessed it a few years ago, the Lions playing Australia and two Kiwis are heading up the opposing sides? I know I am old school here but there is a large part of me that regrets this scenario.

Understandably people are annoyed and upset but what did we expect? Could you really expect Warren Gatland to leave behind the likes of Tommy Bowe, Richie Gray and Dan Lydiate? It's not that he does not have other fantastic options open to him but quite simply he has to pick the best squad that he feels has the ability to defeat the Wallabies.

We can all but guarantee that Wales will dominate the make-up of the squad. Best team in the Northern Hemisphere for the last two years and could you imagine Warren Gatland going back to Wales in the Autumn having left most of them on tour to Japan?

What has always made the Australians so dangerous is not the power of their forward pack, the skills and pace of their backline but their intelligence. The great Wallaby sides have always had dangerous attacking players out wide and bite and dog up front but more importantly they have often been two steps ahead of their opponents in how they want to play the game.

England need to change their mindset, but not their resolve. A youthful Wales side, however, need to learn from mistakes of the past and go all out for victory. Another what could have been tournament will be no less painful, no matter how good the rugby played.